


Jealous

by ectoBisexual



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Commision fic, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 21:16:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6130332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ectoBisexual/pseuds/ectoBisexual
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Correct me if I’m wrong, but is it… possibly… well, would it be wrong of me to say that you were jealous, Gray?”</p><p>Prompt: Gray is jealous of Juvia’s new guy friend</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jealous

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you animefandomappreciation for commissioning me!  
> My commission info is here: http://cloverguts.tumblr.com/post/129385688821/andys-emergency-commissions-please-take-2  
> As always, contact me at cloverguts.tumblr.com or dayna.mortimore@gmail.com

Gray has never been too concerned about the state of his and Juvia’s relationship, if that was what you wanted to call it. They see each other a few times a week, either with or without their friends present; Juvia responds to every text he sends her way, and always meets with him in the utmost pleasant of moods, ready with a polite smile and a conversational topic. She’s never turned him down before. He isn’t sure how to deal with it.

“Hello?” she chirps on the other end of the line, sounding borderline concerned about the amount of silence on Gray’s end. “Hello? Gray-sama. Are you still there?”

“I’m still here,” he says eventually. “I just didn’t—you already have plans tonight?”

“Yes, that’s what I said,” Juvia repeats measuredly. Gray can’t believe it. He absolutely cannot believe it.

“With whom, again?”

“A friend from work. I truly am sorry. If it were under any other circumstances I would come and keep you company for tonight, but it would be very rude of me to cancel.”

“No, right. Of course. I understand.”

“Thank you for being so understanding. I wish you a good evening all the same.”

“Right, you too. Um, that is—I wish you a good evening.”

There’s a smile to her tone that almost goes unnoticed by Gray, who is now promptly having a heart attack. “Goodnight, Gray.”

The line goes dead.

Gray is so busy trying to quell his heart, beating a confused uneven tempo, that he doesn’t even pay mind to the fact that she dropped the honorifics on his name in favour of sounding amused. Juvia rarely sounds amused by Gray, as if he is something funny to look at. No. It shouldn’t go like this.

Gray had plans tonight, whether Juvia knew about or consented to them in the first place. He had nowhere to go, so he was going to invite the girl over, cook her dinner and watch some movies. It wasn’t a _date,_ exactly—he didn’t like her like that—but he enjoyed her company, and spending time with her like that, however intimate, seemed _nice._ Because he doesn’t like her, right? Oh God.

Gray needs to talk to somebody about this.

Natsu picks up on the third ring.

“This had better be important, I was two seconds from getting laid just now.”

“You’re such a liar. I just saw your Facebook post, idiot, you’ve got location turned on.”

“So? Maybe Lucy and I were gonna get it on in a McDonald’s, you don’t know.”

“Shut up for a second, I need advice.”

Natsu is silent for a long moment. Gray counts the seconds, deciding that he’s going to punch his friend in the face for every single one of them.

Finally: “…You’re coming to me, for advice?”

“That’s what it looks like, genius.”

“…Heh.”

Gray glowers. He’s going to punch Natsu. He’s seriously going to punch him.

“Well, finally. You’ve learnt your place, it seems, popsicle. Alright, what can I do for you?”

“How did you figure out you liked Lucy?”

“Huh?” Natsu sounds disappointed. “That’s what this is about? Dude, if you’re trying to move in on my lady, I can tell you—”

“Shut up. Be serious for a second.”

Natsu sniffs delicately. “She asked me out, and I realised that she was cute, and yeah, I wouldn’t mind going out with her. It’s not like there were fireworks or anything.”

“You realised you liked her because she was cute?” That seems simple enough. Juvia is cute, and—

“No, man, that’s not it. I didn’t realise I _liked_ her until we were on the date. I kept thinking that I wanted to hang out with her more. I’d never thought about her in that way and suddenly I was, so… yeah.”

“Oh.”

“What, that’s not dramatic enough for you? You’re not writing a book, are you? If you do, be sure to portray my muscles and striking personality—”

“I think I like Juvia.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Thank you, Natsu, you’ve been very helpful.”

“Dude you can’t just call up like that and then—” Gray hangs up on him. He’s gotten all the information he needs.

.

The next day, he sets out early to ‘bump into’ Juvia before work. He knows most of her schedule, what shifts she works at the coffee store downtown. Now is not the first time he’s ever run into her on purpose. Most of the time it’s because he’s bored, and she’s pretty, and he likes talking to her, even if it’s just for five minutes on his way through the city. That in mind, Gray wonders why he never noticed his feelings for the girl before. They seem glaringly obvious now, even to the trees.

He’s not afraid of confessing. When he sees her, he thinks—battle plan mode—he’ll invite her over tonight, and then when she shows up, he’ll confess. He’s certain that at some point she had feelings for him; she’s told him as much before. She probably still reciprocates, too. Gray is so caught up in thinking about an imaginary relationship with his friend that he doesn’t notice her and almost runs into her on his way around a corner.

“Oh—good morning, Gray-sama.”

“Juvia— _hi._ What are you doing here?”

She raises both eyebrows. Gray immediately feels stupid. Beyond stupid. He starts planning for the hole he is going to bury himself in later.

“I’m on my way to work. What about you, Gray-sama?”

“Also—um, also I have to go somewhere nearby. Mind if I walk with you?”

They walk together in silence, Juvia’s breath puffing out before her in the crisp winter morning. She has her blue hair tied back in a neat braid today, a heavy contrast against her coat, the fog of her breath like cigarette smoke in the chilled air. Gray considers reaching out and holding her hand, but chickens out more than once. After what feels like forever, they arrive at the café Juvia works at.

“Come in,” she offers, “I’ll get you a coffee on the house. Do you still take it short and black?”

The bell chimes as she pushes open the door, a thin blast of air hitting Gray squarely in the face. He’s just about to compliment her for having such a good memory when she catches the eye of a boy behind the counter and starts to wave.

“Good morning!”

“Juvia,” the boy greets, sending a customer on their way with a steaming paper cup. He meets Gray’s eye momentarily, seems to size him up, and turns back to Juvia, who is now wearing a grin the size of the Eiffel tower on her face. Gray’s stomach coils in on itself. “It’s been so long.”

“Oh, you saw me last night,” Juvia laughs, rolling her eyes fondly. Gray’s stomach sinks even further. So that’s who she blew him off for.

Juvia turns back to Gray once she’s behind the counter, tying her apron behind her back. “Gray-sama, this is my friend and co-worker, Blue.”

Blue. _Are you kidding me? Blue._ Gray forces a smile onto his face that he’s pretty sure is hostile.

“Are you planning on sticking around, or would you like your coffee to go?”

Gray eyes the two of them off together, imagining their wedding, his funeral. His voice is sullen when he speaks again. “To go, please.”

,

Gray doesn’t even bother to knock when he finds Natsu’s apartment door unlocked, just marches in and ignores the startled “hey” that leaves his best friend’s lips. He’s not jerking off, thank God, but he looks as though he might as well have been caught doing so. Gray sits beside him on the sofa and ignores the way that Natsu starts to flail.

“You could have called, icicle, you rude bastard. I was gonna go out soon.”

“No you weren’t. I need advice again.”

“See a _therapist,_ then, Jesus. Why don’t you go bother Juvia with this shit?”

Gray tilts his head. “Why would I talk to Juvia about Juvia?”

Natsu makes a very defined _tsk_ sound. “I guess I’m just too wise, huh? Well, it can’t be helped. Obviously, you’re coming to your friend who’s in such a successful relationship because he knows better.”

“No,” Gray says, shaking his head, “that’s not it. It’s mostly just because I can bully you into listening to me.”

“Asshole!”

“Anyway,” says Gray, leaning back on the couch. “I can’t tell Juvia I like her anymore. She’s found her true love.”

“What,” says Natsu. Gray glances over at the disbelieving look on the other’s face, and nods solemnly.

“It’s true. They’re going to get married, probably.”

“Gray…” Natsu hesitates, weighing up his words carefully as if he could get punched for saying the wrong ones. (He could.) “Is this… could you be talking about the guy she’s been hanging out with more often, Blue?”

“He has a stupid name,” Gray concedes, nodding.

Natsu finds this funny for some reason. “Are they engaged?”

“No.” Gray looks at him like he’s stupid. “They were together. Have you seen them?”

“Yes, I’ve—that’s not the point. You know Juvia’s in love with you, right?”

“I was not,” Gray hesitates, “aware of that. But she isn’t, not anymore. Because of Blue, obviously.”

“You’re an idiot,” Natsu remarks fondly. “A cold, cold idiot. They’re not _together,_ Gray. Honestly. You’re so _jealous._ ”

Gray raises an eyebrow. “Jealous?”

Natsu throws up his hands. “Yes, jealous! An adjective that means—”

“I know what it means,” interrupts Gray. He’s frowning at his hands, balled into fists on his lap. “I just wasn’t aware… you think I’m jealous?”

“I _know_ you’re jealous, moron. I’ll even wager five bucks on it, and you know how I hate to lose money. You’re being ridiculous.”

Gray grits his teeth. “I’m not. My feelings are entirely valid.” Yes, he concedes to himself, entirely valid. They’re in love, they’re getting married, and he’s going to get left in the dust, _obviously._

Natsu is shaking his head when Gray looks up again. “Just think about it, man. Or talk to her. Jesus.”

‘Jesus’ is right. Gray sits silently, mulling it over.

.

Gray spends the rest of the day sulking over what he’s going to wear if he gets invited to Juvia’s wedding. Just yesterday he was sure she was his convenient friend who used to have an annoying crush on him, and now he’s in love with her, at the cruel, cruel hands of Karmic punishment. He’s not _jealous._ He just knows love when he sees it, and he’s resentful of being left behind because of some pompous _coffee shop barrister_ hipster who thinks he has more of a right to be in Juvia’s life. Gray doesn’t bother to invite her over; he can’t handle the heartbreak. He doesn’t go back down there, either, because he doesn’t want to see the look on her face as she tells him, smiling, that she already has plans with Blue tonight. They’re probably planning the wedding right now, oh God. Gray sinks to his bed with his head in his hands.

There’s a knock at the door.

Gray emerges from the pit of despair—some people like to call it a bedroom—and inches his way towards the front door, a depressing glare on his face.

“Who is it?” he grates, hoping the sentiment travels through the wood. Juvia’s voice is uncertain.

“It’s Juvia. May I come in, Gray-sama? Natsu told me you weren’t well.”

Gray curses under his breath. He unlocks the door to let her in, adding to the number of punches he still owes his friend. “Come in,” he grumbles, stepping out of the way. Looking cautious, Juvia steps into the apartment.

“Goodness,” she remarks, glancing around the place. “It looks like a tornado’s hit your apartment, Gray-sama.”

“Mph,” he grunts in response, returning to the sofa. He flicks on the tv, hoping to ignore her, or to drive her away by being rude. Yes, he thinks, maybe she can finally be happy in her new marriage if he just pushes her away—

“Gray,” she says gently, and _her hand is on his leg._ Since his heart is hammering all the way up in his throat now, his voice comes out garbled.

“Yes?”

Juvia bites her lip. It shouldn’t be as cute as it is. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but is it… possibly… well, would it be wrong of me to say that you were jealous, Gray?”

Gray says nothing. In fact, he’s become entirely unresponsive now. Juvia huffs a sigh and moves to sit beside him, leaning heavily against his arm, and _she is lying on his arm._

“Natsu told me you were. I didn’t understand why, because it’s you that I’ve liked all this time, and Blue-sama and I are just friends… could you like me too, Gray? I can handle being rejected again if you don’t. I’d just like to know, if you don’t mind.”

Gray continues to say nothing. His brain has abandoned ship. No chance of catching up with the situation.

“Should I tell Natsu that he was correct, or not?”

That, finally, brings Gray back to reality.

“I’m going to kill him,” he says with wonder in his tone.

Juvia shakes her head fiercely. “No, don’t, I forced it out of him. I figured you were acting strangely this morning, and if you were to talk to anyone about it, it would be Natsu.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Gray repeats in awe.

“Gray-sama?”

Gray kisses her. It only occurs to him after the fact of his doing this that he probably should have asked first, but if the way that Juvia melts against him is any indication, he’s done the right thing. Gray tilts his head against her, deepening the kiss and reaching up a hand to cup her cheek. He pulls away slowly, eyes still shut in contentment.

“Jealous,” he repeats, humming it as if it is still an abstract thought to him. “Hm. I guess Natsu was right, after all. Since I like you, I believe what I was feeling can be described as jealousy, Juvia. I hope you can forgive me.”

She doesn’t say anything. After a moment, Gray opens his eyes to survey her expression.

Her face is beet red. She looks so embarrassed that there ought to be steam coming out of her ears, or blood out of her nose. She isn’t looking at him, but rather is staring straight ahead with bugging eyes. It’s so rare for her to lose her composure like this; the only other times she’s done it are the first time she confessed, and the first time Gray invited her over by herself.

“Juvia,” he says, reaching out a hand towards her.

“K… K…” she’s trying, stuttering out the syllable.

“K—? Juvia, what—”

“ _Kiss,_ ” she shrieks, flying to her feet. “ _Kiss—you kissed me, you—I have to go now._ ”

Voice still high in pitch, she races for the door. All the way down the hall, Gray can still hear her shrieking to herself: _kiss!_

He settles back into the sofa, reflecting on the evening’s developments.

Well, he should probably call Natsu. It’s likely that he owes the guy five bucks.


End file.
